Fire Team
by Homegrl aka Amanda
Summary: Ever wonder how Janco and Ari met, and the circumstances that led to a great friendship? This is their story. How they met and how they stumbled upon an operation that was to change their way of living. Set 8 years before Poison Study.
1. Chapter 1

_This is my first Study series story so I'm really excited and nervous about it. Hope you guys enjoy it too. It features our favorite soldiers, Janco and Ari._

**Disclaimer: This will be the only stated disclaimer in this story. I own absolutely nothing to do with the wonderful territories of Ixia and Sitia, its residents and magic. That honor goes to the wonderful Maria V. Snyder.  
****I do own all the original characters.**

**I wish had Valek though ;)**

And special thanx to _Harlequin99_ for being my Beta for this story.

* * *

**Fire Team**

Summary- A _fireteam_ is a small military unit of infantry. It is the smallest unit and generally consists of four or less soldiers, usually two, and is usually grouped by two or three teams into a squad or section.

Ever wonder how Janco and Ari met, and the circumstances that led to a great friendship? This is their story. How they met and how they stumbled upon an operation that was to change their way of living.

_A/N: this story takes place around 8 years before Poison Study. Janco and Ari are 18, Valek and Commander Ambrose are 26 and 32 respectively. Give or take a couple years. _

* * *

**Chapter 1**

_I'm in deep shit, _Janco thought. And he was in deep trouble indeed. He was trying to devise a plan of escape, but failing.

Janco was standing in Captain Fox's office, the captain of General Sykes' soldiers of MD-8.

In shackles, he stood flanked by two of the captain's soldiers. The one on his right was just an inch taller than Janco's six foot one frame and had a deep dark scar on his left cheek, contrasting with his pale skin. Janco has dubbed him _Cheeky_. The other was just as tall as him, but much wider with short crimson hair. _Freckles_ is what Janco referred to him as because of the red dots that exploded across his face.

_Now, is all this really necessary? _He thought bitterly. _Having me chained up like I killed or attempted to kill the Commander._ It's not like he would try to escape or anything.

Actually he would…and did, twice. The problem was he kept getting caught. It was like they knew or something…

His musings were interrupted by Fox clearing his throat. "Janco, Janco, Janco." He chanted, shaking his head. "What are we going to do with you?"

"You could let me go with a clean record and forget this ever happened." Janco grinned.

Hey, you couldn't blame a kid for trying.

Unfortunately his charm didn't work, because the captain gave him a hard look. "For someone so young, your record is full of petty crimes." Looking over the file, he started listing the offenses.

"You have charges for truancy, curfew violations, underage alcohol consumption…" He skimmed the list some more. "Vandalism to a commercial property, weapon possessions, a bunch of petty theft charges, resisting arrest…_and_ totop it all off, two failed attempts of escape." Putting down the file, he looked up to see Janco staring at the ground.

Janco had a bad feeling in his gut, clearing his throat, he said. "When you list it out like that. You make it sound bad." He kept his gaze at his feet, like a mischievous dog caught by his master. He could feel the intensity of Captain Fox's glare on him.

There was silence, and all Janco could hear was the pounding of his heart in his ears growing louder. Finally the captain broke the silence. "And now, you have these new charges against you."

Janco's head shot up, his eyes wide. "I didn't start that fire-"

"You were caught on the premises," Fox interrupted. "You did a breaking and entering, and stolen goods were found on your possession, so that's burglary too. The evidence is against you." He tossed the file on his desk. "And worst of it, you are almost of legal age now, so you will be charged as an adult." He recited in a stern yet flat voice. "You are lucky no one was in that mill or it would have been attempted murder too."

Janco's stomach plummeted to the floor; he was beginning to feel sick. _Tried as an adult_? He knew what that meant, Imprisonment without seeing the light of day for a very long time. _Oh, God, _he prayed desperately. _If there is any way for me to get out of this jam, I promise I'll never get in trouble again._

"You are going to be imprisoned…unless," the captain trailed off.

_Unless?_

Fox sighed. "There is this decree that's been in effect for some time now. It states that depending on the nature of the crime, the person in question will be given the chance to serve their sentence usefully to their territory." He explained. "You are being given a choice. You can either serve five years in the dungeons or that same time in the military."

_Wow, you certainly do work fast!_

Janco sent up a silent prayer of thanks to his lucky stars. He suppressed the urge to do a little dance and stood there looking like he was considering the options. _Jail or military?_ That's not even a question. What idiot would actually choose to rot in the grimy dungeons with rats and rotting food? "Which Military District would I be serving for?" He asked.

The captain smirked at the boy in front of him, impressed but not at all surprised at the decision he was leaning towards. Taking a piece of paper, he read off the orders. "You will be sent to Captain Ross' regime in MD-6."

"MD-6?" Janco asked confused. "Isn't that where the Commander's castle is?" Commander Ambrose was a vicious son of a bitch from what Janco heard. Apparently the Commander assassinated the entire royal family about five years ago. Since he came in power, the entire territory of Ixia has been reconstructed, split into nine military districts, each with a commanding general and their own group of soldiers.

Also, one of his first orders was to get rid of all the magicians in Ixia. If anyone in the territory was caught having magical abilities- whether the person can only heal injuries or talk to animals- they were to be terminated on spot. And even if you were an all powerful magician, the commander's second in command, Valek, would find and exterminate you. He was the only one who was more feared than the commander himself.

Also, rumor has it that Commander Ambrose was the only person to ever kill a snow cat. Snow cats live in the Northern Ice Sheets. They are impossible to get near because they blend in with the surroundings so well. The fact that this guy killed one and took out the entire royal family means this was one cat you do _not_ mess with.

"Yes it is." Fox smirked. "So whatever schemes you have in that head of yours you can just squash them now. It would be a piece of sweet cake for the great Valek to find you."

_Maybe I should have picked imprisonment,_ Janco internally groaned.

Fox stood up. "It will take two days for your transfer papers to get there and two days for them to send up soldiers to escort you back. You will remain in the dungeons until they arrive."

He waved his hand as a sign of dismissal. The two guards surrounding Janco took him back to his cell. Once they reached his cell, they shoved Janco inside. Cheeky removed his cuffs and locked the door behind him. The soldiers left the dungeons with an echoing clink of the main door leaving Janco in darkness, the only source of light from the tiny window two cells down from his own.

Janco rubbed the raw, red marks on his wrists tenderly, hissing at the pain. When the circulation returned to his hands he stretched and started pacing the small area he was confined to, going over everything Captain Fox had said to him.

_Five years in MD-6. How hard could it be?_ He thought. It's not as bad as serving that time confined in a small space. At least he would be allowed some freedom serving for the commander. He would interact with other people. _Maybe, I could do something heroic and they will let me go on good behavior. _He grinned at that thought. He would play the part of good respectable soldier for the time being and when his five years are up get out of Ixia. Maybe go to Sitia. Or return home.

If he was going to be welcomed back home.

Janco sat down on the cold hard floor. There were only a few other prisoners around. Two were talking amongst themselves and another was snoring heavily close by. Janco leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes. He stayed in that position, thinking, long after the sun had set and into the night.

xxxxx

Janco woke to something jabbing at his backside, causing pain to shoot up his back with each blow. He turned over, still half asleep, to see Cheeky and Freckles with bored expressions on their faces. He realized that it was Freckles' foot that was kicking him, and he resisted the urge to kick him back, knowing that it wouldn't do him any favors.

"Wake up, maggot," Freckles grunted. "Captain Ross' men are here for you."

Janco rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and got up groggily, he was not a morning person. With Cheeky leading the way and Freckles bringing up the rear, he was quickly led out of the castle.

Janco's eyes blinked in the dim light. The sun was just beginning to rise and he hadn't seen the sun, nor had he been outside in nearly a week. There were two armed men waiting for them. One had shaggy light brown hair with a long sword fastened to his waist; the other was a curly head blond that had a type of machete and brass knuckles on his fingers. Janco thought that he looked like a guy who took things way too seriously and noted to stay out of his way.

The soldiers greeted each other and talked briefly. After the papers have been signed and handed over, the triad was on their way. Janco walked in the middle, with _Shaggy_ in the lead and _Curly_ bringing up the rear.

After two days of walking in the blistering sun and taking very brief rests for food and sleep, they finally reached the castle. Janco has never been in Military District 6. Growing up in MD-4, there was never a need for him to come to this district. The castle itself was huge, made entirely out of stone. Its appearance was also surprisingly bland. There were no flags swaying from the towers or any type or recognition to show that this was where the commander resided.

Their little troupe entered the castle walls. _Jeez, even General Sykes had colorful tapestries on the walls and military flags hanging everywhere. _He looked around at the impressions where paintings were hung and empty spaces in the corners where statues used to stand.

Walking through the castle in silence, Janco mentally recorded all of the closed doors and empty hallways along the way. The castle was surprisingly active for so early in the morning. The sun just rose in the sky and the last traces of night disappeared over the horizon. Laundry maids walked by with woven baskets filled with sheets. Servants were cleaning and people were coming in and out of the rooms.

Janco glanced to his right out of the huge windows. Soldiers could be seen doing their early morning routines. In groups of four or five, men- and very few women- were running along the outer banks of the barracks, not far from the castle itself.

_It's too early for this_, Janco thought bitterly. Not being an early morning person at all and he could not see himself submitting to strict schedules of the regime.

They continued walking. They went up a spiral stairwell and went down a long hallway. The only sound was coming from Shaggy and Curly's boots as they clomped against the hard stone floor. There was a door at the end of the hallway and Janco heart was beating louder and louder with each step he took.

When they reached the door, Shaggy knocked three times. After a heartbeat a voice called out, allowing them to enter. Shaggy opened the door and Janco walked through to two men waiting inside.

* * *

**There's chapter 1. Let me know what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

_Thanx to those who alerted, favorited, and reviewed so far. Just like you, I look forward to the progress of this story. Should be fun!_

_And a special thanx to Harlequin99 for Betaing this chapter_

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Janco entered the huge barren office. Just like the rest of the castle, there were no decorations or any kind of indications that this was the Commander's office. No self-portrait on the wall. No suit of arms. No maps of Ixia. Nothing.

He saw the man sitting behind the giant wooden desk, a stern look on his clean shaven face. The desk was unadorned except for a file- _probably mine_, Janco thought- and a black palm-sized statue of a snow cat. He wore a simple black uniform. No embellishments except for two real diamonds stitched in the collar, shimmering in the morning light.

_A nice touch. _

But he couldn't believe this was the man who almost singlehandedly assassinated the entire royal family. He didn't know what he expected of the Commander, but it definitely wasn't the thin man before him, with the delicate features and short dark hair.

Janco was almost disappointed until he remembered once again that the man before him killed a snow cat.

Guessing he would have expected a burly man with a rugged beard, anchored by equally intimidating guards. Instead standing to his left was a man dressed in the uniform similar to Captain Fox. The only difference was the red stitched diamonds as opposed to orange.

Tall and lean, he had gray eyes and hair to match.

"You must be my newest recruit." The Commander looked at Janco and he had the uneasy feeling that the Commander was thoroughly assessing him with his gaze.

Commander Ambrose glanced down at the open file before him. "Or should I say my newest delinquent." Janco figured he read the long list of offences against him when his golden eyes narrowed and his thin brows arched up.

"It says here you were charged for arson. I surely hope you don't plan to burn my castle to the ground." Even though there was a slight hint of humor in his words, Janco knew that he was being very serious.

Janco shook his head, biting back a sarcastic reply, "No, sir." He was a typical juvenile delinquent. Petty thievery and other provocations was his thing. He may have defaced a few walls and broken into buildings, but burning one down was way out of his league.

"It says here that you were raised in Military District 4, but your offences expand to MD-8. You are also educated which is evident since you chose this sentence." An icy smirk lifted his face. "But after my officers are through with you, you may regret that decision."

The two soldiers beside Janco snickered. He imagined the training was harsh here compared to the other districts, with protecting the Commander and all. But even strict military training must be better than five years rotting away in the dungeons, or so he thought.

The Commander motioned to the man to his left. "This is Captain Ross. He will be your training officer as of now. You are to report to his office every morning before training until the foreseeable future."

"He has a good build. Tall." Captain Ross' gray eyes assessed Janco. "Do you know how to fight?"

"Not professionally."

_I doubt they want to know about the fights I got into in school._

"Weapons?"

"No."

He looked at the Commander. "It will be easier to get him started straight away. Just throw him with the others." He looked at Janco, "He seems like a fast learner. I think he'll catch up quick."

"As long as he doesn't cause any trouble, he's no concern of mine. And let's hope he doesn't attempt what others before him tried."

Janco pressed his brows together. What others? He wondered. Other criminals who chose military over prison?

"I'm sure he won't." The captain made a quick bow to the Commander. "If you excuse me, Commander, I must get back."

Walking over to Janco he said, "You start in the morning. Come to my office before dawn then you are to go straight to the training yard." He looked to the soldier on Janco's left. Shaggy, he called him.

"Sef, take him to get uniforms and supplies. Then show him around the barracks, where he will be sleeping, eating, and the such. And make sure you take him to Advisor Hatch" He added.

"Yes, sir."

As Ross was leaving a woman came in with a tray of food. Silently, she went to the desk and set the tray down. After taking a couple bites of his sweet cakes and a sip of his drink, she placed the tray in front him and left.

The Commander grabbed his drink and took a tentative sip, before noticing that they were still in the room and dismissed them.

Janco followed Shaggy, now known as Sef, out of the Commander's office. He fell into step behind him as they walked down the empty corridor and down the spiral staircase once more. At that point, Curly skirted in a different direction. They walked in silence, which was eating Janco up inside.

_Jeez, are these guys not allowed to speak or something?_ Their two day trip to the castle was bad enough to endure because of the blistering heat, but the fact that his escorts didn't communicate to pass the time was torture.

"So…" he started, hoping for conversation. "What's your story? How did you get to serve in the Commander's army?"

For a minute Sef didn't say anything and Janco thought he wouldn't until, "I joined when I was of age."

"He speaks!"

Sef ignored that and continued. "I wanted to prove myself to my family. I started out in General Chenzo's regime, but about a year ago me, and a few others, Ryker included, were transferred to Md-6. And here I am."

"Ryker?"

"You're other escort."

_Oh, Curly…with the brass knuckles._ The one he was sure to stay away from. "What's his deal?"

Sef thought for a moment. "Ryker's…tough. He believes in torture first, ask questions later. He just got promoted to sergeant actually, which basically gives him command over all the privates." The look on his face said that Ryker has used that bit of power already. "He hates the fact that women are allowed to be in the military now. He's very old-fashioned in his ways. Thinking that women should only be mothers, maids, and teachers."

Shaking his head, "Just stay clear if you can, and _don't_ piss him off."

Not a problem for Janco. He knew the moment he saw _Sergeant_ Ryker that he would be given hell.

"So, how about you? Do you have a fancy title or position?"

Sef shook his head. "I'm just a private. No fancy title with it."

"So I would be a private too?"

Sef just looked at him. "You…aren't on payroll. At the present, you're just a cadet. If even that."

The first stop was the seamstress' where Janco received his uniforms, nightclothes, and linens for his bed. Then Sef showed him the dining hall. "We eat in shifts, depending on which unit someone is in. That way there's always guards on duty." He briefly explained.

Janco was shown the barracks, where the soldiers stayed and trained. Along the way, Sef explained what they did.

"At dawn you are expected to run. As a rookie, you should do ten circuits around. Of course, increasing the pace as you progress."

"How many do you run?" Janco asked. Running wasn't really a problem for him. He enjoyed that bit of exercise.

He shrugged. "Twenty." Moving along, he added, "You will learn basic self-defense in a one-on-one situation. Then weapons will be incorporated. When you master that, you will go into different fighting techniques."

xxxxx

"And this," He opened the door, "is where you will be staying for the next five years."

Janco walked into the square room. There was a bed against one wall and a bunk bed on the opposite wall, with three coffers lined up in between.

Janco scoffed. "Cozy." Two of the beds were made up already signifying that he would have to share the space with two others.

"I get top bunk I guess." He walked over and put his linens and clothes on his bed. "So where are my new roommates?"

"Most likely in the training yard for the next hour or so. After morning training, we come back to our rooms to recoup. But _you_ won't be joining them just yet. You have to meet with your tutor."

Janco groaned. He never liked school. It wasn't the notion that he didn't want to learn. But the classroom environment was just so boring. He was more of a 'learn through experience' person.

Sef chuckled at Janco's groan. "Trust me, the studies is the least of your worries. Let's go. I have to report back to Captain Graye and rejoin my unit."

"We're not in the same regiment?" Janco didn't like the thought of Sef being the only person he knew in this place and wouldn't see much of him.

"No we're not. But my group and Captain Fox's men often eat together most days. So I'll see you around."

They left the barracks, going back to the castle. Just then Janco remembered something the Commander said.

"In the Commander's office, he said something about others like me attempting… something. What was he talking about exactly?"

Sef smirked. "Since the Code of Behavior came to pass, there have been many who have had this opportunity among others. People don't really give this too much thought though. They don't realize why this is a form of punishment until they start the training. While others think this is a chance to escape. The latter is what Collin thought.

"He was a roommate of mine. Two weeks in and he ran, headed for the Sitian border."

Janco noticed the 'was' in that statement. Intrigued on what happened Janco asked, "Did he make it to Sitia?"

Sef's smirked turned into a grin. "Nope. Valek found him."

* * *

**Ari should make an appearance in the next chapter…unless he run away from me :)**


	3. Chapter 3

Hey everyone, sorry for the super long wait between updates. But I had a midterm last week and my beta has finals going on.

_Thanx again to all who reviewed, alerted, and favorited so far; and thank you Harlequin99 for taking your time with this chapter even though you were really busy._

_

* * *

_

**Chapter 3**

Sef and Janco went to Advisor Colonel Hatch's office. On the way, Janco discovered that the advisor used to serve for the royal family but then switched his loyalties soon after the Commander came on the scene. Advisor Hatch had served in the Commander's army for some time, earning his title.

Now, well past the age to fight, he retired and was now a tutor, but he still served as one of the Commander's advisors on military matters.

They reached his office, entering when they were called in. Hatch's office was more elaborate than the Commander's. There were maps of Ixia- both before and after the takeover- and its southern, bordering neighbor Sitia on the wall. Leather-bound books were crammed into bookcases.

There were two large windows cattycornered from one another, letting the sun shine in and illuminate the medals on display. Janco noticed that the office was cluttered with things from the king's reign, and he was surprised that the Commander allowed it.

The advisor himself was a broad-shouldered man. With gray hair and brown eyes hidden behind a pair of spectacles, and he wore a black uniform that was perfectly pressed.

"Thank you, young man. I can take it from here. You're dismissed." He stated, not looking up from his writings.

Sef made a slight bow to the colonel, before Janco turned to him and nodded. Sef returned the nod- the look saying 'good luck'- and promptly left the room. Janco glanced back over to the advisor who was shuffling through papers.

He stood there for a few moments and was starting to get antsy. He didn't want to just stand there in awkward silence, and exhaustion from the journey was starting to wash over him. With his patience wearing thin, he shrugged his shoulders and walked over to the desk, preparing to sit in the opposite chair.

"Stop," Hatch ordered. Janco froze mid way from sitting and looked at Hatch. "I didn't say you could sit there."

Janco straightened up. "It's the only chair in here. Besides, I didn't want to just stand at the door. What do you want me to do?"

Hatch took off his specs and set them down on top of his work. _If looks could kill,_ Janco thought. "You do what I tell you to do. I didn't tell you to leave that spot and I didn't tell you to sit in my chair."

Janco rolled his eyes. He didn't want to be there. In that room. He just wanted the books he needed to read and the assignments he was to do and be on his way. He didn't receive an appropriate breakfast that morning; only given a ration of bread and water from Curly- who was stingy with it- and he was starving. He also wanted to take a good bath and wash the stench of imprisonment off of him.

"Look," the aging advisor began. "I read up on you. I know all about your petty thievery and other juvenile ways. Don't think you are going to get the best of me. I've dealt with punks like you before. And don't think that just because I'm a retired soldier that I have gone soft… and weak."

"So what do you expect from me?" Janco asked.

"For one," he held up one swollen finger. "I want you here. Right after your unit is finished with lunch. Ready to learn…and clean." He added taking in Janco's disheveled appearance. Janco hasn't had a chance to bathe since his arrest.

_Well, at least I know what to do when I get out of here. _

"You are not sitting in my chair in the state you're in." He added.

"So you're just going to make me stand this whole time?" Janco huffed.

Hatch nodded. "For the time being, yes. But now you know what to do for the next time."

Janco shifted his stance. "You know, it's not like they gave me a chance to change or anything."

"Not my concern." Hatch replied. "Now, we're wasting time. Go to the bookshelf over there and grab _History of Ixia_, _The History of Sitian Magic_, _The Great Reconstruction, _and _Military Tactics Throughout the Ages_."

Janco retrieved the books in question and returned them to the desk. Hatch gave him to kneel on the floor, so Janco did just that. And in that uncomfortable position he began the first of many lessons he was to have.

xxxxx

Janco left Advisor Hatch with the stack of books in his hands. He couldn't believe he had to relearn so much history, and on top of that learn about the military territories and tactics. He was happy to be out of there though. They spent hours going through the royal bloodline and other boring useless facts that nobody cares about.

It was midday and Janco was deciding whether to find the dining hall to eat or to find the washrooms. Overall his pride got the best of him and won over his growling stomach.

He went back to his new room to drop off the books. He noticed that his roommates haven't come back yet because the room and their belongings were still untouched.

He gathered up his change of clothes and other items and headed for the baths. According to Sef, there were two designated public bath areas. One for all the servants in the castle and one for the soldiers in the barracks. Of course, the Commander and all of his advisors had their own private suites.

_Lucky bastards_, Janco mused.

He made it to the baths, enveloping in the soothing warm water. When he dressed, he found a shaving kit and trimmed his hair. His brown hair was getting a little long and he hated the look on him. Janco preferred the short crop. _Easier to maintain_.

After giving himself a trim and a clean shave, Janco winked at the mirror and looked over his reflection. He was wearing the standard wear for all the military personnel. A tan pair of pants and matching top, he was to wear this to all trainings and meals, and a pair of black boots. Except for—he was told—when they had free time and were allowed to go into town.

He got rid of his soiled prison garments and explored the complex. He essentially had the day off and it was only midday. He knew to enjoy it while he had the time.

Janco wanted to observe some of the trainings, just to get an idea of what he was in for. Going towards the training yard, he stopped when someone called out to him.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the new greenie." A voice behind Janco sang. "No. You're not even up in the ranks as a greenie."

Janco turned around and was face to face with Curly. "You're a maggot, below a greenie. You're only here because you didn't want to tough it out in the dungeons."

Janco was getting that uneasy feeling in his gut again, but this time the feeling travelled up to his right ear. He suppressed the urge to rub it- which he did to calm his nerves.

He looked in the cold dark eyes of the man, trying to remember Sef's warning.

_He said try to avoid Curly at all cost, but never said what to do when he found me._ Except not pissing him off of course. Too bad that was one of the things Janco was very good at.

"Is there something you want, Cur- Ryker." He almost slipped and said his designated nickname for Ryker.

"That's _sir_ to you, maggot. And just so you remember that I think it's best if you do twenty pushups right now?"

Janco scoffed. "You have _got_ to be kidding me?"

Ryker looked amused at Janco's refusal. "Are you disobeying direct orders?" He challenged.

_I knew this guy would give me hell._ Swallowing his retort with his pride, Janco went down on all fours and started. He did five when he felt Ryker's heavy foot on his back and push him to the ground.

"You know…_sir_," he grunted. "It's kind of hard to do this when your foot is on my back."

Smirking Ryker replied, "That's exactly the point. Now stop talking and give me twenty."

Janco did as he was told. He struggled to get up after he was finished, but the boot on his back wouldn't budge. "You better get used to the taste of dirt, maggot. You're going to spend a lot of your time in it." Laughing he stalked off towards the castle.

Janco just lay there for a few seconds then got up, brushing the dirt off him. He rubbed his arms which were burning in pain. "Bastard," he swore softly, hoping this run in was the only one, but he knew otherwise. Then the nagging thought of Curly being one of his new roommates sent a wave of nausea through him.

He shook that frightful thought from his mind. Surely, Sef would have warned him if so, wouldn't he?

Walking to the dining hall he saw the soldiers going in different directions. Some were headed to the castle as well, some to their rooms, and some to the training yard. Most were in the same wear as him, but he noticed the others that were dressed similar to Captain Ross. Similar only because the placement of the red diamonds were different. Janco concluded that it was probably to show who outranked whom and knew he needed to learn them.

_Maybe I can find something in that one book_, he thought momentarily.

After getting food from the dining hall, he went back to the training yard to see them practice. He grinned when he recognized Captain Ross in the midst of about ten men and- to his surprise- one woman. He was thankful not to see Curly in the mix and leaned against the fence.

They were lined up in one row intently listening to Ross' authoritative voice. There was someone next to him- _probably a lower ranking sergeant_, he thought.

The captain spoke for several minutes then the group was split into two, one going with the captain and the other with the sergeant. They went through different drills.

Janco was impressed with Blondie. Even though she was the only woman, she was able to hold her own rather well.

They came back together again and did a cool down exercise before Captain Ross dismissed them. They dispersed in different directions.

With nothing much to do, he wondered into the training yard when the coast was clear. There were still a couple of units doing their exercises, not paying him any attention.

"Janco," a friendly voice called. This time he didn't flinch because he knew it was from Sef. "Come to check us out, I see." He said once he reached Janco.

"Yeah. I just saw Captain Ross' men. Not bad." He took in Sef's clean appearance and furrowed his brow. "Headed somewhere?"

"A few of us is going to the tavern to play cards and drink. Maybe even catch a show of the traveling performers."

This piqued his interest. With nothing else to do, Janco asked to tag along. Sef was wary about it though.

"I don't know," he began. "I mean you just got here and you shouldn't be out too late with your first full day tomorrow."

"Oh, come on. You're not my guardian."

"No, but if anything were to happen to you, it would be my head."

"Come on. I won't stay long. I don't have any money, so I can't buy anything. Besides, I want to see the town and it would be less suspicious than me going by myself."

Sef thought it over for a moment. He knew he shouldn't, but he really didn't mind Janco's company. He just hoped this wouldn't come back to bite him in the ass.

"Alright," he agreed. "Let's go before I change my mind."

"Ha," Janco sang and did a little step.

They met a couple of guys at the gate and headed for Castletown. The journey wasn't long, and they entered the town in no time. There were people walking about, some with animals, some with children; and some with both. They passed shops and vendor stands. Janco saw that instead of black or red, they were wearing blue.

"I thought the uniform color was red in MD-6?" He asked Sef.

"That's the Commander's colors. All who work for him wear red. Blue is General Hazal's color."

Nodding in understanding, he kept browsing the different merchants. Once at Seroll tavern, they got a table and quickly got into a game of cards, ordering drinks along the way. Jorin, a darker skinned sergeant, lent Janco some saying it was no fun to place bets with nothing.

"You will probably regret that in the end. When I take all of your week's earnings." Janco teased. Janco was quite good at gambling. Besides stealing that's how he got money to travel.

The day grew and so did Janco's pockets. Biem, who hated to lose, kept challenging for a rematch and Janco happily complied, winning in the process. Sef folded early. Not much of a gambler, he didn't want to lose all the money he earned from transferring Janco. So he just sat, drank, and enjoyed the show on stage.

At a certain point, no one knows when, Janco ordered himself a drink and it didn't stop there. Pretty soon, it all went downhill for them.

xxxxx

Janco returned to his room late that evening, after getting lost a few times in the dark. Stumbling into his room, he couldn't wait to dive right in and drift off into sleep. His two roommates were finally back, both sound asleep with their clothes for the next day already laid out.

He recognized the two from earlier. They were in the same unit as him. One, with the short black hair, was in the bed under his. He was snoring lightly with his back turned. The other across the room had blond hair and was sleeping like a man in a coffin with his hands crossed at his chest. _Weird_, Janco thought while climbing into his bed. His head hit the pillow, falling asleep almost instantly.

He didn't even hear the wakeup call and when he finally headed to the training yard; he was met by the captains gray eyes, blazing with annoyance, and hard stares of his militia.

* * *

**I told you Ari would be in this chapter. Didn't you see him? Lol. Well, the next chapter will come out quicker since it's half written and it will be in Ari's POV. **

**So stay tuned and review!**


	4. Chapter 4

_As always thanx to those who reviewed, alerted, and favorited this story._

_And thank you Harlequin99 for another great chapter :)_

_

* * *

_

**Chapter 4**

The sound of the wake up alarm trumpeted throughout the quarters, but Ari was already awake and was getting dressed in his uniform. He was used to the early mornings, and being a morning person himself, he loved getting up before the sun rose. Just to watch as it slowly peeked over the mountains and light up the dark sky.

He was slipping on his boots when his roommate for the past month stirred awake. "You never cease to amaze me, Ari." His roommate chuckled rubbing sleep from his dark eyes. "Always up and ready before the alarm sounds. How do you do it?"

Ari just shrugged his large shoulders. "I'm just used to it." He put his foot in the other boot and fastened it. Spending the last two years in the military would do that. And before that, he spent most of his life at an orphanage on the coast of MD-7. So he was accustomed to early rising among other things.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to this." Ari smiled as his roommate got up sleepily and stretched. Ari and Tristan were both transferred to MD-6 about a month ago. They were two of many new recruits, coming from all over Ixia to serve in the Commander and General Hazal's armies.

But unlike Ari, Tristan was just enlisted before the transfer. So he was still getting used to the strict rules.

Tristan got dressed as Ari made his bed, a habit picked up at the orphanage. When he was done he turned to wait for his roommate when he noticed a moving lump on the top bunk. He wasn't informed about a new person in this wing, let alone a roommate. Perplexed, he looked to Tristan.

"Do you know anything about this?" He asked. Tristan was half in his shirt when he groggily turned to the bed.

"Humph," he grunted. "Must be a new greenie. I didn't know we were getting a roommate."

"Neither did I," Ari verified. "Did you hear him come in last night?" The body was laying sprawled on its front. The sheets were dangling off its body.

Tristan shook his head and scratched at the stubble on his tanned skin. "Naw... He must have come in pretty late last night." He motioned to wake the newcomer, but the body wouldn't budge. He tried a few more times, all ending in failure.

"He's sleeping real heavy and he reeks of beer."

Ari narrowed his eyes. _If this guy was a new recruit, why would he get drunk out his mind before his first day? _

"What should we do? Should we try and wake him?"

"No, we should just leave him. Come on, we have to run anyway." They left the person in the once vacant bed, not knowing that was a mistake they would soon regret later.

xxxxx

After doing the required run, Ari and the others in his unit gathered on the eastside of the training yard, waiting for Captain Ross. There were two other units out at that time, scattered in the yard. The unit Ari was in was one of the smaller and newer ones, with only twelve- including Sergeant Dayl. All of the privates were transferred in from all over Ixia with little to no prior military training.

After some time passed, the captain finally showed up, looking irritated; and he was late.

He was never late.

_Wonder what's going on_, Ari thought.

Everyone noticed their captain's sour mood and he didn't waste any time showing his irritability. "What are you just standing around for? Split off and get to work," he barked off.

They didn't miss a beat. They split off into two groups. Ari and Tristan were in the same group led by Sergeant Dayl. They did their warm ups, practicing different katas. The mornings were dedicated to hand to hand combat with drills on offensive and defensive tactics.

Captain Ross was giving his group a hard time.

In the middle of a drill, Ari's new roommate came.

Everyone stopped and turned to stare at the late newcomer. Tristan elbowed Ari in the ribs. "That's our roommate," he whispered. Ari groaned. If this was an indication on how the foreseeable future was going to be like. He knew he wasn't going to like it.

Captain Ross walked over to the greenie with a look of annoyance. Since Ari was close to them, he was able to hear their conversation.

"You were supposed to come to my office earlier, Janco. You didn't show up and on top of that you show up late here. Explain yourself." He commanded forcefully.

The guy- Janco- didn't say anything at first. Ari doubted he would admit to drinking last night, but was amused to see how this was going to play out.

"I… just overslept I guess." He said lamely.

"Overslept?" He said the word slowly.

"Yes, sir." Janco confirmed.

"Really now? And, I don't think you're in a room by yourself, are you?"

Janco brows gathered together in confusion. Then he answered, "no…sir." He quickly added.

Everyone, Ari included, was watching the scene, enjoying the verbal bashing. Some were even trying to hold back snickers.

"And who pray tell are your roommates?" The captain asked.

Janco sighed, "I don't know. They were sleeping when I went to the room."

Captain Ross narrowed his eyes and made a sweeping motion towards the rest of the group. "Well, would you recognize them if you saw them?"

Janco looked around to the scattered group and his gaze stopped dead at Ari. He looked back at the captain and said, "Yes." Ari raised an eyebrow, not liking where this was going.

"Well," Captain Ross continued. "Could you point them out for us?"

Janco looked at Ari again and pointed in his direction. He opened his mouth to speak only to close it again, obviously confused by the question. When he did speak, all he said was, "I only recognize him."

Ross turned and followed where Janco pointed to. His mouth formed into a thin line. He left Janco at the spot and walked to Ari. Everyone else, who was watching, straightened their stances, not wanting to get in trouble also.

Captain Ross stood in front of Ari and Tristan, looking back and forth between the two. He pointed to where Janco stood. "Why is he late?" He asked them.

Ari and Tristan just looked at their superior, not knowing how to answer his question. Tristan finally spoke up. "Because he got drunk last night, and wouldn't get up this morning."

Ari rolled his eyes. He knew it was wise not to answer the question, because no matter what they said, it would only lead to further aggravation.

And he was right.

"Drunk!" He shouted, "You let your roommate get drunk last night, knowing he was to report to me this early morning."

"We didn't know he got drunk, sir."

Captain Ross cocked his eyebrow. "Really, now?" he asked unbelievingly.

Ari jumped in. "Yes, sir. He wasn't in the room when we went to bed and didn't notice him until this morning before we left-"

"And we did try to wake him, but _he_ wouldn't budge." Tristan interrupted.

"You should have tried harder," Ross reprimanded. He turned to Janco who was just standing there looking like a lost puppy.

"You just got here and already you're starting trouble. I'm going to go easy on you…_this_ time." He stressed. "I hope you don't work up an appetite this morning, because instead of breakfast you will spend your time running."

Janco eyes widened in horror; he was about to say something but Captain Ross turned back to Ari and Tristan. "And you two can join him. And make sure this doesn't happen again." And with that he returned back to his group.

It wasn't that Ari never got in trouble. He got into petty fights at the orphanage, but he never been in trouble on someone else's account.

Tristan groaned loudly, "Fuck. Should have known he would be in our unit."

Ari gave a hard stare at Janco as he looked to see what group to join. But the decision was made for him.

"Don't stand there all day," Dayl said impatiently. "Come on."

xxxxx

_I can't believe I have to suffer for that bastard's disregard to rules._ Ari fumed while he, Tristan, and Janco did laps. It was bad enough he had to do ten circuits after training. But he missed breakfast in the process.

They were being supervised by Sergeant Dayl. And he too was annoyed at having to miss his breakfast while he watched the rookies do laps around the yard. "Come on," he shouted. "I want to eat at some point today." His thin arms were crossed over his chest. They were only almost done through the run. And with the blistering sun and the intense training caused from Ross' sour mood, they were drenched with sweat and covered with dirt.

Janco was trailing far behind. Unlike Ari and Tristan, he wasn't used to the harsh training. So he kept stopping, which only annoyed Ari further since they would have to wait until he was finished.

"Get moving, cadet," Dayl yelled, addressing Janco. "I would like to eat sometime before afternoon training."

"I'm…going…the best…I can." Janco huffed out of breath.

"I don't care. I want you to go faster."

Tristan finished running and Ari finished a minute later, both going to hydrate themselves with the water that was on supply.

"Maybe if you were actually on time, we all wouldn't have missed breakfast." Tristan said once Janco finally made his way over.

As soon as he saw Janco head to the water, Dayl left the yard.

"Well, excuse me, for making _you_ run a little extra. I'm the one who went through hell today after the night I had."

"And whose fault is that?" Tristan asked. "Not ours."

Ari's blue eyes bore into Janco's dark ones. "Whatever you do on your own free time, don't let it interfere with the training. You're here to be a soldier, not go out to taverns every night."

Janco was able to muster up a laugh. "I'm _here_, because I do not like being confined by four walls."

"What are you talking about," Tristan asked confused, but Ari knew what he was saying.

"You've got to be kidding me." He turned to Tristan. "He's another convict who chose military over prison."

Tristan narrowed his eyes. "Like Collin? Poor chap. No one ever heard from him again." He shook his head.

"You know, that's the second time someone mentioned that name." Janco said.

"I bet it was," Ari said. "Look, just because you're here for a different motive then everyone else, doesn't mean you can be careless."

"I'm just trying to do my time, here. Just like everyone else."

Ari's temper was flaring. Tristan, who got a good feel on him, physically stepped in between the two, not wanting anything to transpire. "We are not 'doing time', as you say. We all have our reasons for being here and unlike you, they are justifiable. So how about we call it a morning and go about our ways for the time being?" He looked between the two.

They just kept staring at each other.

"Mind moving out the way so I can have some water?" Janco chided.

Ari raised an eyebrow and kicked over the bucket that sat next to him. "What water?" And with that he left. Tristan just shook his head and sighed; with Janco fuming next to him.

* * *

**See. They're going to be the best of friends *fakes innocence* ok so it will take some time and that's where the fun is ;) **

**So you guys got a 'surprise' update this week, but I can't always promise that. As of right now, I will be updating [hopefully] every week on Sundays or Mondays. We'll see how that goes.**

**Next chapter will be in Ari's POV again, then I will alternate from there. **

**Something I forgot to mention last time, but I'm a moderator of the forum ****Poison, Magic, Fire! We've studied them all!**** with **_**Don't Diss Einstein**_**. And I think it would be a great way to keep in contact and discuss everything about the series. So go over and introduce yourselves.**

**I love reviews. How else do I know what you guys think?**


End file.
